Separable electric connector.



F. C. DE REAMER. SEPARABLE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR. APPLICATION FILEDDBG.T.1906.

Patented May 18, 1909.

Witnesses:

Inventor 2/ I Frank C.DeReamer,

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FRANK 0. DE REAMER, or SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNO-R TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATIQN or NEW YORK.

SEPARABLE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1909.

Application filed December 7, 1906. Serial No. 346,719.

'1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. DE BEAM-ER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New Yorlg haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Separable ElectricConnectors, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to electric distribution andmore'especially to connecting devices whereby a branch circuit mayreadily be connected with or disconnected from a main supply circuit.

The object of my invention is to provide a separable connecting devicewhich will effec tually protect against electrical contact with theperson of the user and in which the refractory insulating material shallbe better adapted to withstand rough usage than the connecting devicesheretofore in use.

In carrying out my invention I provide a massive base portion ofinsulating material having at one end recesses or cells for thereception of electric contacts and madesufficiently small to prevent thetips of the fingers of the user being inserted so as to come intoengagement with the contacts therein, and at the opposite end of thebase port-ion are arranged the contacts for engag ing the terminals ofthe supply circuit and having electrical connection with the contacts inthe recesses or cells at the front end. The detachable portion of theconnecting device has metallic fingers adapted to make frictional engaement with the electrical contacts in the ront end of the base portionand provided with means for engaging the respective ends of the branchcircuit conductors.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be hadto the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1 is a vertical section of an attach ing plug with theparts detached; Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of details; Fig. 4is a top plan of the base portion; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section of apendent connecting device with the parts in engaged position.

The attaching lug shown in Figs. 1 and 4 has a base 1 of porcelainformed of two integral cylindrical portions of different diameters. Inthe upper or larger end are formed two relatively dee recesses 2 and 3of rectangular section an a center recess 4 which connects with an axialpassageway 5. in the lower or small end are formed a side passageway(Sextending' up into the recess 2 and a radial recess 7 extending acrossthe axis in a direction opposite to the location of passage 6 andupwardly about half the length of the'base. At the upper end the recess7 meets the axial passageway 5, and a short passageway 8 is extendedupwardly into the lower end of recess 3. The lower or smallercylindrical portion of the base is surrounded by a threaded shellcontact 9 having an inturned flange 10 seated against the end of thebase and securely held against dislodgment by a porcelain washer 11which is clamped thereto by an axial screw 12 which passes through acenter contact disk 13 and extends upwardly through radial recess 7, aconnecting piece 14, and axial passageway 5 to the center recess atwhere it engages a nut 15. The connecting piece 1 1 is shown detached inFig. 3 and is made with a tapped hole 16 at one end to closely engagethe threads of the center screw 12, and at the other end is a punchedhole through which passes .a screw 17 which extends through passageway 8into recess 3 where it engages a contact, clip 18 in recess 3. A screw19 passes through a countersunk hole in the flange 10 of the screw shellcontact 9, extends upwardly through the passageway 6, and' engages acontact clip 18 in .recess 2. The. clips 18 each comprise aphosphorbronze spring member 20 and a stifi angle member 21. The springmember has an inwardly projecting kink in its vertical section and apunched hole in its foot section through which the screw 17 or 19 passesfreely, and the angle member has a plane chafing surface on its verticalsection and a tapped hole in its foot section. The foot section of theangle member 21 is arranged on top of the foot section of the springmein- 7 be a considerable distance below the outer ends of the recesses2 and 3 so that no part of the person of the user may come intoengagement therewith.

The detachable member of the connecting device comprises a circular cap22 of porcelain with a central aperture 23 for the passage of theconductor wires (not shown), and at its lower end is a dependingperipheral flange 24 adapted to seat against a rabbet 25 on the end ofthe base 1. On opposite sides of the central aperture 23 are contactfingers 26 secured to the undersideof the cap 22 by screws 27 engagingtapped holes 28. The contact fingers each comprise a single punching ofsheet metal having one end bent down at right angles and folded back toform an enlarged holding end 28 adapted to be forced between the membersof the contact clips 18 to make frictional and electrical contacttherewith, and the other end of the punching is provided with a bentwire holding lug 29 and a binding screw 30. The pendent connectingdevice shown in Fig. 5 has a cap 22,,contact fingers 26, and clips 18,like the attaching plug above described, but the base 1 is madedifferent at its lower end in order to connect the pendent conductorwires 31 direct therewith. the lower end is formed an annular recess 32for the reception of binding plates 33 which are respectively connected.with the contact clips 18 by screws 34, and the lower outer corner ofthe base 1 IS peripherally rabbeted at 35 to receive the flange of ametallic cover 36 which has an insulating bushing 37 and a disk 38 offibrous insulating material. v

I do not desire to restrict myself to the particular form or arrangementof parts herein shown and described, since it is apparent that they maybe changed and modifiedwithout departing from my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is,

i. In an electric connector, the combination of a base of insulatingmaterial having like recesses in its upper end symmetrically arranged onopposite sides of the axis and a cylidrical projection on its lower end,a screw shell contact surrounding said projection and having a flangeengaging the end thereof, a washer of insulating material engaging thelower side of said flange, a conductor rod extending axially throughsaid washer and said base and operating to hold said parts in fixedrelation, contact clips seated at the bottoms of said recesses, a screwconnecting the flange of said screw shell with one of said clips, asecond screw engaging the other clip, and a radial con nection betweensaid second screw and said axial rod.

2; In an electrical connector, the combination of a base of insulatingmaterial having two recesses in the upper end and a radial recess in thelower end, center and side contacts mounted on the lower end of thebase,

contact clips in therecesses atthe upper end,

one of which is connected to the side contact, a conductor extendingfrom the center contact axially through the base, and a connectorlocated in said radial recess and connected to the second contact clipand to said conductor.

In an electrical connector, the combination of a base of insulatingmaterial having cylindrical end portions with two symmetrical recessesin the upper end and a radial recess in the lower end, contact clips insaid upper recesses, a flanged contact shell surrounding the lower endand joined by a conductor to one of said contact clips, an insulatingwasher carrying a center contact and held against the flange of thecontact shell by a screw extending axially through the base, and aconductor located in the radial recess and connected at its ends withsaid screw and the second contact clip.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day ofDecember, 1906.

FRANK C. DE REAMER.

\yitnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD.

